A week ago today was Martin Luther King Day. Two days later came the 65th birthday of Muhammad Ali. And Sunday two African-American coaches got their ticket punched to the Super Bowl, the first time a black head coach ever brought a team to the big party.
So: a big week for equality: but I was also struck on my radio show “Con Games” by how we liberals give a pass when the building blocks of history turn out to be inconvenient to our version of the truth. Nowhere is our blind spot more obvious that when it comes to the man named Cassius Clay who will die one day as Muhammad Ali, perhaps the greatest athlete of the 20th Century, and certainly the biggest celebrity in the history of the world.
Ali, you see, is iconic not for his legerdemain in the ring, but because of his political protest of the Vietnam War, that lost moment in time when he refused the draft and its demand that he kill Cong. The great fighter gave away the prime of his career to a principle, and his sacrifice of his greatest gift in the name of a cause was irresistible.
But that came later: at first, Ali was vilified–made into a villain–by what is now so glibly known as the mainstream media. Back then, despite what you’ve heard, the media and the society were inherently conservative, and Ali was the victim. Sportswriters like Dick Young flat out refused to call him by his new and assumed Black Muslim name.
This was a time of Black Power, and the newly re-constituted Muhammad Ali was a scary, big-mouthed, two-fisted manifestation of same. No, he never took up guns like the Black Panthers, but Ali subscribed without reservation to the notion that “the white man is the devil,” according to the preachings of Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Black Muslim movement.
Such a notion is really a close cousin of Islamic jihad and the idea that the infidel must be killed. The private Ali may have had no prejudice, but in public the Ali of the Sixties was a militant Black Muslim, black and proud and powerful and indisputably a follower of a militant strain of Islam. Consider that underlying the principle of his war protest was a religion and a “prophet” who saw all the evil in the black world as the result of white people.
The upside of anger was black pride and a new embrace of a difficult heritage. The downside was white-hot hatred made manifest by a heavyweight champion of the world stripped bare by the white establishment. But we liberals–you know who you are–give The Greatest a pass. We embrace his dissent without damning its root case.
It’s one thing for a liberal to be color-blind, but quite another to never see your own blind spot.
Elijah Mohammed took advantage of a pivotal moment in American history, regarding civil rights. Many in the black community began to question what did being good pious Christians do for the black man (and woman). Just as many Jewish people questioned their faith after the holocaust. Where was this benevolent God?
For many Jews, in the post world war years up to 1967, the answer was; there was no God that could allow this to take place. Atheism, amongst my Jewish friends was readily embraced, along with hardcore socialism and communism. Meanwhile in the black community, having fought in wars ostensibly for the good of the country gave you the privilege of going back to segregated schools workplaces and housing. Back to police harrassment and where there was no statutory segregation laws; legally recognized housing covenants barring blacks and other people of color minorities from housing and union jobs. What was Christianity doing for the black man? Enter Elijah Mohammed.
Elijah Mohammed became “Muslim” after having a discussion with an Arab dockworker in the shipyards of Baltimore in the 1930s. What attracted him to “Islam?” Allah, he was told, did not see colors of people therefore prejudices based on the social construct of a mostly western concept of race, did not exist. I would imagine that he would have been quite giddy at the notion that he, an oppressed black man, would be seen as equal to all other believers, regardless of the absorbtion spectra of skin.
I am quoting Islam and Muslim because of the extreme heretical qualities of Nation of Islam interpretations of Islam.
Elijah Mohammed, led a very small filament of loyal followers for many years. Then the civil rights movement blossommed. Then the Nation of Islam got lucky with a convert who had great charisma and exceptionally adept with linguistic framing of media savy phrases. Enter Macolm Little, Malcolm X , Malik al Shabazz one person. His inciendiary speeches were heard in every corner of the black community, challenging Christianity for the heart and soul of all who were classified involuntarally as “Negro” (black). Young Cassius Clay heard these speeches and had grown up in the segregated south. Young Cassius Clay had no trouble reading whites only water fountains, restrooms, restuarants and seats. Young Cassiuss Clay and won a gold medal for the USA in the light heavy weight division in the 1960 Rome Olympics. Of course he came home to a segregated contry after seeing how Italy was not segragated. Doubtlessly, I am sure he saw the admiring glances of women in Italy — surely an eye opener.
Having fought abroad professionally and having been decked by one of the most perfect left hooks landed in one of those fights (his first against Henry Cooper) Cassius Clay was ready to question the faith of his birth. Shortly before his title fight against Charles “Sonny” Liston, Clay bought into the Nation of Islam. Elijah Mohammed could hardly have been more elated.
But that was only the beginning. The backdrop, of the Arab Israeli conflict, gave him a chance to isolate further, his political movement from the movement of Martin Luther King, and add numbers in the fold of the reactionary racist bigot. Hurling venomous racial invective comments against “whites” was not enough, as there were those troublesome atheistic Jews seeing a vanguard of blacks Jews and progressive whites as a hope for the future of American humanity. Elijah Mohammed correctly saw that this nexus had to be broken. Hate can be very effective in stirring up the ignorant, oppressed and hopeful. But some people just insist on truth seeking. Malik al Shabazz went on a hajj and saw “white devils” praying piously to allah, and Asians, Negroes and Arabs. He realized the Nation of Islam was based on selective censored parts of Islam, blended with lies, deceit, misinformation and acceptance of socially constructed racial bigotry and he had been the most able mouthpiece for this horrific wrong. Sadly as many enlightened people have experienced, he was murdered by Nation of Islam contract workers of some sort.
Since racial acceptance was something Elijah Mohammed bought into, the Nation of Islam was bothered very little by Cointelpro operatives. Those organisations and individuals that had multi “racial” affiliations; Dr. King, Black Panthers, Weathermen, Youth International Party etc, were compomised and experienced many assasinations and mysterious deaths. But not the Nation of Islam. Muhammed Ali was very political and knew he was not bullet proof. He never denounced the Nation of Islam, when asked in the sixties about it, and wasn’t really asked, as I remember, in the seventies after those who wanted to be informed instead of led, discovered the truth about the bigoted pseudo religious organisation. Ali went into a meaningful discovery of faith not the Nation of Islam as an organisation. He knows what a piece of shit Elijah Mohammed was and Wallace Mohammed and Louis Farrakhan are. He should denounce the Nation of Islam but is probably unable to do so with any degree of eloquence.
I want to draw a parallel to another person here describing with honesty in an opinion unfiltered by ideologue propaganda. I paraphrase ‘If I had to choose between being oppressed in an apartheid situation and being a communist. I would choose to be a communist’
,William F. Buckley
Should Jews be condemned for choosing Atheistic Communism over timely train rides to concentration camps. Should Ali be condemned for making his choice, and taking what was then seen as the most aggressive stance against oppression?
Good people became Ku Klux Klansmen and joined the Nation of Islam. Harry Truman and Malcolm X. The lesson here is that; evil organisations sometimes have good people in them and sometimes those good people get out alive.
Elijah Mohammed took advantage of a pivotal moment in American history, regarding civil rights. Many in the black community began to question what did being good pious Christians do for the black man (and woman). Just as many Jewish people questioned their faith after the holocaust. Where was this benevolent God?
For many Jews, in the post world war years up to 1967, the answer was; there was no God that could allow this to take place. Atheism, amongst my Jewish friends was readily embraced, along with hardcore socialism and communism. Meanwhile in the black community, having fought in wars ostensibly for the good of the country gave you the privilege of going back to segregated schools workplaces and housing. Back to police harrassment and where there was no statutory segregation laws; legally recognized housing covenants barring blacks and other people of color minorities from housing and union jobs. What was Christianity doing for the black man? Enter Elijah Mohammed.
Elijah Mohammed became “Muslim” after having a discussion with an Arab dockworker in the shipyards of Baltimore in the 1930s. What attracted him to “Islam?” Allah, he was told, did not see colors of people therefore prejudices based on the social construct of a mostly western concept of race, did not exist. I would imagine that he would have been quite giddy at the notion that he, an oppressed black man, would be seen as equal to all other believers, regardless of the absorbtion spectra of skin.
I am quoting Islam and Muslim because of the extreme heretical qualities of Nation of Islam interpretations of Islam.
Elijah Mohammed, led a very small filament of loyal followers for many years. Then the civil rights movement blossommed. Then the Nation of Islam got lucky with a convert who had great charisma and exceptionally adept with linguistic framing of media savy phrases. Enter Macolm Little, Malcolm X , Malik al Shabazz one person. His inciendiary speeches were heard in every corner of the black community, challenging Christianity for the heart and soul of all who were classified involuntarally as “Negro” (black). Young Cassius Clay heard these speeches and had grown up in the segregated south. Young Cassius Clay had no trouble reading whites only water fountains, restrooms, restuarants and seats. Young Cassiuss Clay and won a gold medal for the USA in the light heavy weight division in the 1960 Rome Olympics. Of course he came home to a segregated contry after seeing how Italy was not segragated. Doubtlessly, I am sure he saw the admiring glances of women in Italy — surely an eye opener.
Having fought abroad professionally and having been decked by one of the most perfect left hooks landed in one of those fights (his first against Henry Cooper) Cassius Clay was ready to question the faith of his birth. Shortly before his title fight against Charles “Sonny” Liston, Clay bought into the Nation of Islam. Elijah Mohammed could hardly have been more elated.
But that was only the beginning. The backdrop, of the Arab Israeli conflict, gave him a chance to isolate further, his political movement from the movement of Martin Luther King, and add numbers in the fold of the reactionary racist bigot. Hurling venomous racial invective comments against “whites” was not enough, as there were those troublesome atheistic Jews seeing a vanguard of blacks Jews and progressive whites as a hope for the future of American humanity. Elijah Mohammed correctly saw that this nexus had to be broken. Hate can be very effective in stirring up the ignorant, oppressed and hopeful. But some people just insist on truth seeking. Malik al Shabazz went on a hajj and saw “white devils” praying piously to allah, and Asians, Negroes and Arabs. He realized the Nation of Islam was based on selective censored parts of Islam, blended with lies, deceit, misinformation and acceptance of socially constructed racial bigotry and he had been the most able mouthpiece for this horrific wrong. Sadly as many enlightened people have experienced, he was murdered by Nation of Islam contract workers of some sort.
Since racial acceptance was something Elijah Mohammed bought into, the Nation of Islam was bothered very little by Cointelpro operatives. Those organisations and individuals that had multi “racial” affiliations; Dr. King, Black Panthers, Weathermen, Youth International Party etc, were compomised and experienced many assasinations and mysterious deaths. But not the Nation of Islam. Muhammed Ali was very political and knew he was not bullet proof. He never denounced the Nation of Islam, when asked in the sixties about it, and wasn’t really asked, as I remember, in the seventies after those who wanted to be informed instead of led, discovered the truth about the bigoted pseudo religious organisation. Ali went into a meaningful discovery of faith not the Nation of Islam as an organisation. He knows what a piece of shit Elijah Mohammed was and Wallace Mohammed and Louis Farrakhan are. He should denounce the Nation of Islam but is probably unable to do so with any degree of eloquence.
I want to draw a parallel to another person here describing with honesty in an opinion unfiltered by ideologue propaganda. I paraphrase ‘If I had to choose between being oppressed in an apartheid situation and being a communist. I would choose to be a communist’
,William F. Buckley
Should Jews be condemned for choosing Atheistic Communism over timely train rides to concentration camps. Should Ali be condemned for making his choice, and taking what was then seen as the most aggressive stance against oppression?
Good people became Ku Klux Klansmen and joined the Nation of Islam. Harry Truman and Malcolm X. The lesson here is that; evil organisations sometimes have good people in them and sometimes those good people get out alive.
I do NOT think Ali was a racist any more than I think Truman was a racist
I do NOT think Ali was a racist any more than I think Truman was a racist
Good points and well written Edward Troy!
I can only hope that Ali can, and somehow does, find a way to break his silence and leave us with a “sting like a bee” version of his perspective of the life and times of “The Greatest”.
I would imagine that an autobiography that powerful could, and would, only be released after his passing.
Somewhat like what Jerry Ford did recently with his former protege’s Rummy, Cheney and Bush Sr. and of course his boy, Bush Jr.
Good points and well written Edward Troy!
I can only hope that Ali can, and somehow does, find a way to break his silence and leave us with a “sting like a bee” version of his perspective of the life and times of “The Greatest”.
I would imagine that an autobiography that powerful could, and would, only be released after his passing.
Somewhat like what Jerry Ford did recently with his former protege’s Rummy, Cheney and Bush Sr. and of course his boy, Bush Jr.
Thank you Star Eagle! I think of the droves of good Germans who followed Hitler ,all suckered in by the lies and propaganda, Truman suckered into the KKK and Ali pulled into the Nation of Islam. I am challenging Michael to come up with any evidence that Ali has had any appearances with NOI “leadership” in the past 25 years. Though I am not sure, as Ali has been silent on this, I think he had the concept of Islam introduced to him by Elijah Mohammed and that he discovered the spirituality of it on his own, gradually after the death of Malik al Shabazz and later, Elijah Mohammed. I do not have any recollection of any Ali and Louis Farrakhan joint appearances. I have never heard him speaking of “white devils” and the like, something Malcolm X stopped doing when he realised that Elijah Mohammed was full of lies. Ali was correct in saying that the Viet Cong had never done anything to him or by extension, anyone classified as black in this country. At the time there was very little desire to aid “whites” who had racial animosities against blacks that were supported statutorally, extralegally and socially, in a war against the national independence of the Vietnamese. The acceptance of race was the acceptance of the status quo, and that is what the NOI did, and one reason they were not bothered by the FBI cointelpro in contrast to the Panthers who did have contacts outside of the BPP and included “whites,” this is in total contrast with the NOI.
Once again I do not support Michaels assertion that Ali was the greatest racist. In fact I do not think he was racist at all. He never let the Nation of Islam into his fight corner. Drew “Bundini” Brown and Angelo Dundee were always there. Ali was very loyal with his personal contacts and friendships, white or black, Jew gentile or Islamic. I think Michael is very far off the mark.
What Ford (a very decent man, other than the Nixon pardon, I could have voted for him) had to say about those miscreants with the exception of Bush Sr. ( the oil don) is nothing short of amazing, he should have had the guts to say the truth the way Ike did regarding the military industrial complex. Ike was the last honest Republican president.
Thank you Star Eagle! I think of the droves of good Germans who followed Hitler ,all suckered in by the lies and propaganda, Truman suckered into the KKK and Ali pulled into the Nation of Islam. I am challenging Michael to come up with any evidence that Ali has had any appearances with NOI “leadership” in the past 25 years. Though I am not sure, as Ali has been silent on this, I think he had the concept of Islam introduced to him by Elijah Mohammed and that he discovered the spirituality of it on his own, gradually after the death of Malik al Shabazz and later, Elijah Mohammed. I do not have any recollection of any Ali and Louis Farrakhan joint appearances. I have never heard him speaking of “white devils” and the like, something Malcolm X stopped doing when he realised that Elijah Mohammed was full of lies. Ali was correct in saying that the Viet Cong had never done anything to him or by extension, anyone classified as black in this country. At the time there was very little desire to aid “whites” who had racial animosities against blacks that were supported statutorally, extralegally and socially, in a war against the national independence of the Vietnamese. The acceptance of race was the acceptance of the status quo, and that is what the NOI did, and one reason they were not bothered by the FBI cointelpro in contrast to the Panthers who did have contacts outside of the BPP and included “whites,” this is in total contrast with the NOI.
Once again I do not support Michaels assertion that Ali was the greatest racist. In fact I do not think he was racist at all. He never let the Nation of Islam into his fight corner. Drew “Bundini” Brown and Angelo Dundee were always there. Ali was very loyal with his personal contacts and friendships, white or black, Jew gentile or Islamic. I think Michael is very far off the mark.
What Ford (a very decent man, other than the Nixon pardon, I could have voted for him) had to say about those miscreants with the exception of Bush Sr. ( the oil don) is nothing short of amazing, he should have had the guts to say the truth the way Ike did regarding the military industrial complex. Ike was the last honest Republican president.